Coral Springs extends city manager's contract until 2018

September 29, 2013

Coral Springs City Manager Erdal Donmez has agreed to stay put at least until 2018.

Donmez, who replaced Mike Levinson in 2011, was initially given a three-year contract. A year after he took over, the city commission amended the contract and extended it until November 2015. Sufficiently impressed by what they have seen from him, officials last week asked Donmez if he was willing to commit until 2018.

Donmez seemed surprised by the contract extension offer, and initially sought time to make up his mind, but he later agreed to remain at the helm for another five years. The commission was inclined to giving him a more substantial raise, but Donmez, who had declined a pay raise when the contract was initially extended until 2015, said he would not agree to more than a two-percent increase.

"It is truly flattering to be asked to be city manager for that many years," he said. "I know it gives a level of comfort and continuity to everybody. The municipal complex project will take about 2 to 3 years. I would like to continue on that project. It is going to be a large project, probably the largest ever we will undertake."

Like he did two years ago, it was Vice Mayor Tom Powers who came up with the contract extension idea. Continued stability at the top will send the right message to businesses, he said. Having Donmez as city manager when the municipal complex project is taken up would be ideal for the city, he added.

"I can't speak highly enough of what you have accomplished," Powers said. "We have jelled well; our accomplishments are outstanding…The most common thing I keep hearing from businesses is, 'We like the way you are working. We hope that continues.' I just want to position ourselves to assure that same level of service for years to come to continue attracting businesses."

Other officials were more than willing to support Power's motion to extend the contract.

"You are the right man for the job," Commissioner Larry Vignola said. "All you have to do is look around the city and you can tell that. The work that has been done is very, very impressive. Your performance is substantially above expectations."

According to the chart based on performance measures, a performance substantially above expectations would have fetched Donmez a pay increase of 4.1 to 5 percent. He, however, declined such an increase.

"This year and the upcoming year, employees will get pay raises of two percent," Donmez said. "I will not take anything more than that. I hope that conditions will continue to improve and we can reward our employees with more acceptable levels of pay increases."

"You have worked well beyond the two percent (salary increase)," Mayor Vince Boccard said. "Everyone has, but unfortunately, we don't have the funds to truly reward the efforts that have been made in the last couple of years."